The Chronicles of Saiven
by zeroday
Summary: Taking place in an alternate timeline in which Elves stayed behind after the fall of Sauron and interbred with Humans, TCoS follows one Half Elf's journey through good, evil, and even death. Rated T for violence and mild language.
1. A Long Expected Celebration

The spring air was chilly, but people flocked outdoors nonetheless. Not only did people flock outdoors, but many traveled the length and breadth of Middle Earth just to arrive in Gondor for this day. The voices of excited children, the calm conversation of adults, and the gentle sound of music all filled the air and mix with each other. Man, Elf, Dwarf, and Hobbit all stood side by side, eating, drinking, and all-around being merry. After the fall of Sauron, the peoples of Middle Earth began to mingle, producing many more half-breed children. Any remaining racial tension was eliminated, if only for this day. For this day was one of celebration.

On that particular morning, it had been exactly twenty-five years since the destruction of the One Ring, and the Dark Lord Sauron, and the people of Middle Earth were rushing to Minas Tirith for the celebration of their victory. Decorations lined the streets, and minstrels and bards stood on every corner, playing music, attempting to attract attention. The taverns and pubs were filled with Men and Dwarves, who were slowly drinking the entire city dry.

Also on that particular day, on one particular corner, in one particular area of the sixth circle of Minas Tirith, a Half-Elf stood, playing his wooden flute like many other bards and minstrels did. However, this one particular Half-Elf, was different from the rest.

That particular Half-Elf was named Saiven. And Saiven had a secret. A very, very big one. It ate at his insides, and he knew that this day of celebration was about to be cut short.

(Stupid Disclaimer So I Don't Get Sued: I don't own Middle Earth, its characters or anything relating to is except for the original characters Saiven, Nevias, and Isofir. All other original characters belong to their respective payers on TOR.N)


	2. Before The Storm

Even with all of the celebration around him, Saiven was still a tad depressed. Mainly, because he knew that all of these people seemed so carefree, and that any second now...

"Saiven!"

The Half-Elf jerked up from his slumped position against the wall. He gave a slight bow to the female Elf who had called his name.

"M'lady..." he said softly, but the rest of his sentence died quickly as he was interrupted by his female companion.

"Save it Saiven. Come, let's go into the pub down the street, and discuss our plans for this afternoon," she said commandingly. Saiven nodded and followed her down the street and eventually into the pub that she spoke of. The two sat down, each ordering drinks. Saiven finally looked up to realize that his companion was cloaked and hooded, and Saiven decided it would be wise for him to pull up his hood as well. Early detection was definitely not part of the plan. He jumped a bit, as his companion spoke into his mind.

#Saiven. I-- Damn you, boy. You should be used to telepathy by now.#

#Sorry Menel-- I mean...m'lady. I did not mean to use your name...# he replied, his tone full of uncertainty.

# Shut up Saiven, no one can hear us.#

#Right...sorry.#

#I'm bringing in the army today. Soon. They're ready to start. We will take care of the defenses on the inside ourselves, until our soldiers break the gate. After they get through, make yourself scarce, we will meet up afterwards.# Menel said, directly into Saiven's mind.

#Yes m'lady. 'Tis about time that we exact our revenge.# Saiven said as an offhand remark.

#About time indeed.#


	3. A Short Delay

(Yes I know, chapters are short, but the reason for that is that sometimes chapters get long and readers start to lose interest, so I'm trying to keep it short. My updating is coming along very quickly, I'm trying to crank out at least one chapter a night.)

_As Saiven and Menel plotted, they were unaware that others had heard of their plans, and a certain kingdom in the forest wasn't going to sit back and let those plans be carried out..._

Two figures, both cloaked and hooded in black approached the city of Minas Tirith. Their trip, for the most part, had been silent, and neither wanted to break that silence. However painful it was, one of them, a male Elf finally spoke up.

"...This is probably it, Raen..." He spoke softly and solemnly, knowing that this could indeed be their last battle.

"...At least we'll go down defending something real, not just the reputation of our 'beloved' king." Raen, a female, said with a hint of bitterness in her voice. The man laughed, but Raen did not. It soon became clear that she was deadly serious. "I mean it Shift. I know you're sick of fighting for the king's image too. Shift pulled back his hood, shaking his head a bit to toss his long braid of dark brown hair behind his shoulders and clearing his bangs from his cold, ice blue eyes.

"Look, if she is here-"

"If, Shift, _if._" She said coldly. "We may just be on a wild goose chase...it wouldn't be the first time." Shift said nothing in return, and just continued to ride, as the city got closer and closer. Soon they were at the gates, and then inside the city. Not long after, they had left their horses in the stables of 'Siro's Pub & Inn', and were making their way inside. They made their way to the bar, and Raen spoke up.

"Excuse me, barkeep. We need a room."

"We ain't got no rooms available.," the barkeep said. Rapping on the bar with his knuckles to get the barkeep's attention, Shift pulled something from his cloak. He revealed it only for a second, a small silver medallion with a leaf carved in it. In the center of the leaf was the crest of King Thranduil of Greenwood the Great, called Mirkwood in many parts. The barkeep's eyes went wide. It became clear to him after a moment that these two were agents of Thranduil himself, and would not take no for an answer.

"Eh right...erm...oh wait, we have one room open," He produced a key with the numbers 217 on it and handed it to Shift.

"Thank you very much." Shift said, with a bit of sarcasm in his voice. Shift began to move away, but before he took a step he whirled back to face the barkeep with a cold stare.

#And you would do well not to tell anyone who we are. Or perhaps you won't wake up. Or perhaps your wife won't. Or maybe your daughter. Nod if you understand. And you had better.# The terrified barkeep nodded at the voice in his head, trying not to show on the outside that he was shaken by this voice in his head. Shift and Raen stalked away up to their rooms.

Back in the pub, a Half-Elf male and an Elvish Female sat at the end of the bar, speaking quietly.

"M'lady, you acted like you knew those two when they walked in..." Saiven said, his voice filled with curiosity.

"Ah...yes...I have had several run-ins with them. They are agents of Thranduil. Filthy, cowardly assassins. But the question is...why are they _here_?" Menel replied.

#Perhaps they have heard of our plan...# Saiven spoke into Menel's mind.

#I doubt it, but to be safe, I will postpone the invasion until we have...taken care of them.#

#Yes m'lady...#

#We will strike tonight. No one will interfere with our plans.#


	4. A Slightly Smaller Siege

Room 217 at 'Siro's Pub & Inn' was unusually quiet. Raen half-sat, half-layed on the bed in the room. Shift sat in an armchair, hunched over, his arms resting on his knees. Each had a glass of wine in their hands, but neither drank. The open window allowed into the room a slight, refreshing breeze. Both Shift and Raen had removed their cloaks and hoods now. Neither was wearing anything too fancy, just a standard Mirkwood Guard's tunic. Raen took a moment and brushes her bangs out of her fair Elvish face, and then took a sip of wine.

"Shouldn't we be searching for Menel?" she said after a very long silence.

"Menel wouldn't try anything tonight...there are far too many witnesses. I am guessing she is waiting for the real festivities to begin if she is going to make a move at all." Shift replied, looking to the window. The day had gone, and night had fallen upon Minas Tirith. It was a New Moon that night, giving little to no natural light on the street outside the inn. Raen stood, letting her leather belt which held the sheathes to her long knives fall to the bed. She walked slowly to the window, gazing out at the starts. Then suddenly, there was a sound. A sound so quiet that it could barely be heard. It sounded like...like bending wood.

"Raen get away from the window!" Shift cried as he dove forward to push her out of the way, just as an arrow ripped into her shoulder. Raen shut her eyes tight and tried not to cry out in pain. Shift took quick action, flipping the bed up on it's side, blocking most of the window and jamming the armchair up against the door in the room. After he had done this, he grabbed his small crossbow and loaded a bolt into it, firing one shot blindy into the dark. As he ran to Raen's side, he grabbed her satchel, taking several herbs from it. He tore up one leaf and put the small pieces in Raen's mouth, rubbing her throat to get her to swallow. Raen tried to speak but he put his hands up to her lips.

"That will help the pain, because this is going to hurt like hell..." he said, grabbing the arrow and pulling hard, dislodging it from the she-elf's body, and opening a rather large hole in her shoulder, which immediately began to gush blood. Raen tried to supress a scream of pain but only half-succeeded. Shift grabbed several more herbs and rubbed them on the wound, then wrapped a bandage very tightly around her shoulder. He could hear arrows slamming into the matress that he had flipped up, but as quickly as the arrows had starting flying, they stopped. He grabbed the nightstand by the bed and knocked it over, dragging it toward him and Raen, trying to create some kind of cover. He loaded his crossbow and aimed it at the door as he heard a banging outside his room.

"Open the door, and you both will be left unharmed!" A female voice called from the other side of the door. Shift froze, and goosebumps rose on his skin. He would know that voice anywhere. Menel was here after all. "Fine, if you refuse to be cooperative, then I shall have to take what I want by force." Not a second later, the door burst off its hinges and two men, each carrying large tower-shields entered the room. Shift fired his crossbow and felled one of them, then reloaded his crossbow, but when he went to aim, he found a bow aimed at him...and two blades at his throat. Menel spoke before Shift could even react.

"Drop the crossbow. Now." She commanded, and Shift complied. The twin swords at his throat began to rise, forcing him upward to his feet. In a flash, he felt a blow connect to his stomach and he doubled over, winded. The last thing he remembered was a sharp pain on the back of his head before everything went black.


	5. Hostages

When Shift came to, the first thing he thought of was the throbbing pain in the back of his head. Then he realized where he was. He looked around the inn room wildly, and found that he was in the corner, bound and gagged. Raen was still on the floor, but her bandage had been removed, and she had several more bruises than when Saiven and Menel entered the room.

"Well look who's awake..." Saiven sneered. "Took you long enough, you were out for quite a while. We though maybe we'd killed you. 'Tis a shame we didn't."

"Now now, Saiven, what would we do with a dead Mirkwood Assassin?" Menel said, seeming to enjoy having hostages a little too much. The remaining human male that carried the shield into the room moved to Shift and without a word (but a kick to the ribs) removed his gag.

"I suppose you're right, m'lady. Still though, after all they've done to us..." Saiven also seemed to be enjoying having the upper hand. He walked over to Raen and drew his blade. "Well now, I don't think you've been introduced to my sword, Wrath." he said, trailing his long blade very lightly up Raen's stomach and up to her throat, pressing in slightly. Shift squinted to try to see Raen, and it appeared that she was unconcious, but bound as well. He nodded to the human male, and the hulking man grabbed Shift and dragged him over to Raen. In the meantime, Saiven placed his blade at Raen's heart and held it loosely. At that exact moment Raen awoke, but her injuries prevented her from struggling.

"Let her go, do what you will to me but leave her out of this!" Shift spat as the man drug him and position him over Raen. At that moment, it occured to him what Saiven's plan was. He would be positioned over Saiven's sword, and dropped. His weight would drive the blade into Raen's heart, killing her.

"Oh ho, looks like someone has figured out my plan. 'Tis a shame. Too predictable? Oh by the way, for every word you say that I don't like, I'm going to have you lowered down a little more, until you push my blade into her heart for me. You see, I'm tired, and do not believe I would have the strength to do such a thing at the moment-"

"Shut the hell up! Shut up or I will rip out your throat and feed it to my dogs!" Shift yelled as best he could through gritted teeth. Saiven nodded and the human pushed Shift down a bit, causing the blade to press into Raen's chest. She closed her eyes tight and tried her best not to sob, for that would cause her chest to rise, and the blade to go deeper. At that point, a tear rolled down Shift's cheek. He closes his eyes, trying to hide his emotion. Suddenly he heard a single person clapping somewhere. Menel stepped out of the shadows in a dark corner of the room.

"Bravo, Saiven. I will take it from here." She said, stepping forward. Shift moved his head to the side and spat at Menel's feet. Saiven and Menel both sighed at the same time, but Saiven was the first to retaliate.

"Drop him." Saiven commanded, and the human made sure Shift was still bound securely and still in a good position to push the blade, and let him go, and stepped back as he fell.

_(I know, I'm an evil person for giving a cliffhanger like this one, but it won't be long until I finish the next chapter!)_


	6. Reforming the Trio

_(Took me long enough but here it is, the next chapter in TCoS)_

A tear rolled down Shift's cheek as he fell, knowing everything was his fault. His fault that Raen was going to die, his fault that Menel was going to get away with her plans, everything was his fault. He felt the hilt of Saiven's blade touch his chest, and he gritted his teeth. So this was the end of Greenwood the Great's most adept agents. He felt himself fall upon the blade, and then he was choking, like something was pulling at his throat, cutting off his oxygen. He felt something warm splatter against his face, and the next thing he knew, he was lying on his back, gasping for breath.

Shift opened his eyes hesitantly, but he was not atop Saiven's blade, but instead he was on the floor, several feet away, and there was yet another Half-Elf in the room. A very fast look revealed that Raen appeared to still be alive, and the blade had done little to no damage. The new figure in the room brandished a wicked-looking foil, and the male human guard that had almost ensured the death of his partner seemed to be strangely missing a head, and a growing pool of blood was growing around his decapitated corpse. Then Menel spoke, her voice cold, and very angry.

"What are you doing Nevias?" she yelled at the newest Half-Elf, who threw back his hood, showing he looked very much like Saiven. Same high cheekbones, same ice blue eyes. But his eyes were different from Saiven's. Within them somewhere there was a fire, burning with something undetermineable. Was is hatred? Was it anger?

"Do you really think I'm going to let you kill one of the King's agents? You fool, if those two didn't return, the entire Mirkwood army would be marching here before we could even mount a defense. And that includes the border guard, and the Prince himself. Remember what happened last time you fought the Prince of Mirkwood, Menel?" Menel did nothing but glare. After a moment of silence, Nevias turned to Saiven and spoke.

"And you, dear brother. Remember how you became headless the last time you attempted to fight the captain of the guard, and the soon to be Queen of Mirkwood?" Saiven didn't take the comment as easily as Menel, and he drew his sword and charged at Nevias. Nevias was surprised but not alarmed. He raised his foil and as the two blades made contact. A shimmering blue haze flashed over the room briefly and when the haze cleared, the brothers stood there, blades at their sides, glaring at each other.

"Enough! The two of you are acting like children. Do not forget the task at hand. What are we to do with them?" she said, gesturing towards the two agents of Mirkwood. Though she considered herself the leader of the trio, Nevias also felt that he led the group, and he took this decision as his own.

"Let this foolish one go," he said, pointing to Shift. "But keep the girl. Saiven, take her to the encampment. And tell the troops that they can _not _eat her."

"But what if he follows us? He can only cause problems." Saiven said, with a hint of bitterness still in his voice.

"If he wants her to live, he will leave us alone, and pretend that this night never happened."

Suddenly, there were footsteps outside the door, and the trio looked at each other. "Let's go." Nevias said, flipping the bed down that blocked the window. Saiven picked up the disabled She-Elf, and the trio of two half-elves and one elf, plus the top Mirkwood agent disappeared out the window, and Shift was left in the room with a headless human and a pool of blood. Just as the trio and their prisoner disappeared into the night, guards burst into the room, holding their pikes to Shift's throat. Then one of them spoke.

"You. You're under arrest. For this heinous crime of murder, you will be executed at dawn."


	7. The Invasion Begins

Shift gazed sullenly ahead as he walked down the long stone hallway, hands bound. He slowed his pace, only to be jabbed in the back with the tip of a pike. He winced and walked on, and soon he emerged from the tunnel, and found himself before the Citadel of Gondor. But it was not quiet and peaceful like any other day, no. Today people packed the Seventh Circle, and it seemed the entire country of Gondor appeared for this day.

"Public excecutions. Always drawing a crowd," Shift muttered, but his words went unheard. He scowled as he was led into the ever-brightening daybreak, and the center of the Seventh Circle. He was forced to his knees, and a large human stalked over to him, roughly tieing a black blindfold over the elf's eyes. Shift's sense of hearing instinctively sharpened with the loss of his sight, but the noise of the crowd was too great to make anything out. Suddenly, trumpets sounded, and all was quiet until a voice spoke out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Elves, Dwarves, and Shirefolk, today, on the morn of the Great Festival, we begin our festivites with the death of a murderer, and a follower of our Greatest Foe Sauron." The voice stopped and the roar of the crowd overtook Shift's hearing. Several seconds passed and the crowd quited, and the voice spoke again. "This Elf was found last night in an unnamed pub, clutching a sword, and laughing as he played in the blood of a man he brutally decapitated. We can only assume from the information gathered that this Elf is a follower of Sauron, and came to disrupt the festival. This Elf was tried late last night and found guilty of the charges of murder, and espionage. As such was his method of slaughtering an innocent man, he shall be repayed with his own death...by decapitation!" The crowd roared again. Shift merely scowled. "Does this traitor have any last words?" asked the voice of the herald. Shift straightened, and then spoke loudly and clearly.

"May Mandos have mercy on your souls." Shift spoke bitterly, and his head was forced down onto a block. All he could hear then was the crowed roaring with laughter. Soon, a chant broke out in the crowd.

"Off with his head! Off with his head!" The people cried over and over. As the executioner raised his axe, the people screamed and yelled louder and louder, until the sound was deafening. But the axe never fell. For at the moment, the crowd's cries of delight turned to murmurs of wonder, then to screams of horror as a giant stone ball smashed into the Seventh Circle, rocking the entire city. Then another collided, and another, until the city was caught in a rain of deadly stone. People screamed and ran in every direction, and Shift flipped around and felt along the ground where the executioner was to find his axe. Using the blade, he cut the restraints that held his wrists, and removed his blindfold. Looking about wildly, Shift saw what he feared most.

The invasion had begun. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of Orcs marched across Pelenor Fields, lead by giant trolls, and hauling with them monstrous trebuchets which unleashed the deadly rain of stone upon the city. The guard scrambled for their weapons and the people hurried to find shelter. A large shadow passed over Shift, and then another, and yet another. He looked up and head a deafening cry as three enourmous beasts dropped from the sky. As the drake-like creatures dove toward the circle, three figures leaped from their backs and alighted gracefully before the White Tree. The beasts pulled away and flew off out of sight until they were needed again. The figures began walking toward the Citadel, and then Shift picked up the executioner's axe and charged. As he reached the trio and swung the mighty two-handed axe, he gave a battle cry, but his cry was cut short as the air was forced from his lungs by means of the hilt of a sword connecting solidly with the diaphragm. He fell to his knees and dropped the axe. The center figure moved on, the other two remained. They threw back their hoods and drew their swords. Saiven and Nevias stood facing the downed agent of Mirkwood, glaring. Saiven's blade glowed a bright blue, and Nevias's a bright red. They walked slowly toward Shift.

"Don't worry about him! Burn the tree!" Menel cried as she threw back her hood and approached the mighty doors of the citadel. She almost entered, but stopped, and turned about. "Do it!" Her two companions obliged as they pointed their glowing blades toward the sacred White Tree, and blue and red flames erupted from the swords, flowing into the tree and setting it ablazing.

"No!" Shift yelled, regaining his breath and taking up the axe once more. Moving with almost demonic speed he reached the brothers and swung the axe handle at Saiven's head, taking him by surprise. Saiven toppled over, but scrambled to his feet quickly. Nevias merely laughed and then said,

"You can't defeat us. I am feeling merciful this morn. Leave the city now, and never return to this part of the world. Do this and I shall spare the she-elf's life."

"Raen is...alive?" Shift stuttered, letting his guard down. He realized his mistake a second too late as a bright blue blade made contact with flesh, piercing skin, muscle, and bone. As the blade was withdrawn, a body slumped to the ground.


End file.
